Winter Edition 2017 President Ron Mitcherson Receiving the Branch
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WINTER EDITION 2017 PRESIDENT RON MITCHERSON RECEIVING THE BRANCH SUICIDES IN THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE ~ PAGES 10 TO 15 NON ~ LIABILITY HEALTH CARE VETERANS PAGE 25 Official Newsletter of: Toronto RSL sub-Branch PO Box 437 Toronto 2283 [email protected] 02 4959 3699 NEWCASTLE ARMOURY LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER WANTED: EX-MILITARY AND SPORTING FIREARMS PHONE: 0448 032 559 E-MAIL: [email protected] PO BOX 3190 GLENDALE NSW 2285 www.newcastlearmoury.com.au THIS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR ADVERTISING In a time of need turn to someone you can SO IF ANYONE OUT trust. Ph. (02) 4973 1513 THERE WISHES TO PLACE A QUARTER PAGE ADVERTISEMENT IN- SIDE THE FRONT COVER WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO OUR MEMBERS AND Pre Arranged Funeral Plan in THE COMMUNITY AS A Association with WHOLE (APPROXIMATELY 1500 COPIES QUARTERLY) barbarakingfunerals.com.au From the president’s Winter has arrived with a vengence and it is not expected to get any better. However every day you wake up is a plus, so why whinge. ANZAC day this year was quite successful what with a large crowd for the dawn service which was followed by a full breakfast in the Diggers Club for a gold coin donation. The kitchen staff of the Club did an excellent job in the preperations of the food and the ladies from the To- ronto RSL Women’s Auxiliary and their volunteers did an excellent job of de- livering it to the people there for breakfast. I would like to thank all those in- volved outside of the ladies that assisted in the day to make it the success that it was. I also attended the Ryhope ANZAC Service with Secretary Bill at the Lake Macquarie Memorial Park. That also was well attended. Then the final march and service in Goffet Park here in Toronto their was an excellent turn up to this event led by the Toronto Brass Band and a great in- volvement of the 217 Army Cadet Unit, who not only acted as flag bearers but supplied the catafalque party for the whole of the service. The school leaders from St Pauls High School, Toronto High School and Charlton Christian Col- lege did an excellent job as usual with their respective readings. I would also like to thank them for their professionalism and respect for the occasion. We of the sub-Branch play a very small part in the main service and select a dif- ferent High school each year for the different roles in the program. The role up of younger school children and the community in general was a credit to the community as a whole. While more emphasis these days is put on the plight of refugees (not to be forgotton) it’s great to see that Australians also honour those who have kept them safe and made this country what it is today. Even today we have brave men and women of the ADF serving in different parts of the world working along side our Allies in a combined effort to keep 1 In May this year Secretary Bill and I travelled to Albury for the 2017 RSL NSW Annual State Congress. The fact that there were no Audit Financials because of what is traspiring in State Branch at the present time. After much debate, the Chair called for a Mover and seconder from the Delegates so that the Congress could go ahead without the Audited Financials so at the end Con- gress could be officially closed. Further once the Financials had been Audited they would be made available to all sub-Branches. On a lighter subject, we have not had a welfare trip for our members this year as I and and other executives and committee members have been quite busy with RSL matters bearing in mind all the negative news coming out of State Branch over money issues, etc. So members, keep you eye out in the next issue which comes out in October and we will combine whatever we do with our Christmas celebrations. Thats about it for me this isssue. So until next time Keep safe and healthy. The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance Ron (Mitcho) Mitcherson AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE CURRENT OPERATIONS The Government has approved the deployment of approximately 3300 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to 12 operations overseas and within Australia to protect Australia and its national interests. Of these, approximately 400 ADF members are actively protecting Australia’s bor- ders and offshore maritime interests. Afghanistan and Middle East Maritime Security Operation SLIPPER is Australia's military contribution to the international cam- paign against terrorism, maritime security in the Middle East Area of Operations and countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Around 1550 ADF personnel are based within Afghanistan as part of Operation SLIPPER, while about 830 personnel are deployed across the broader Middle East Area of Operations. Australia has main- tained a continuous maritime contribution to Operation SLIPPER, which currently consists of the ANZAC Class Frigate HMAS Toowoomba. Operation PALATE II is the ADF contribution to the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). Two Australian Army Officers serve as military advisers within the UNAMA Military Adviser Unit. ….Cont…../Page 4 2 3 Operation RESOLUTE is the ADF’s contribution to the whole-of-government ef- fort to protect Australia’s borders and offshore maritime interests. It is the only ADF operation that currently defends homeland Australia and its assets. The Op- eration RESOLUTE Area of Operations covers approximately 10% of the world’s surface and includes Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone which extends up to 200nm around the mainland, Christmas, Cocos, Keeling, Norfolk, Heard, Mac- quarie and Lord Howe Islands. At any one time, up to 400 ADF personnel at sea, in the air and on the land, are working to protect Australia’s borders and offshore maritime interests. They work alongside personnel from Customs and other agencies. E ast Timor Operation ASTUTE is the ADF’s continuing contribution to the maintenance of peace and stability in East Timor. The operation commenced in 2006 following a request from the Government of Timor Leste to the Australian Government for the creation of a multi-national security force to assist with stability operations within Timor Leste. The force, called the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in East Timor, has evolved over time and currently consists of approximately 460 personnel from the Australian (almost 390 personnel) and New Zealand (70 personnel) Defence Forces. Operation TOWER is the ADF’s contribution to the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which plays a crucial role in security reform within East Timor. Patron: Wing Commander (rtd) RAAF John Hulbert Chaplain: Reverend Julie Turnbull President : Ron Mitcherson Vice Pres: Jon Handley J.P. Vice Pres: Brian Besley Hon. Secretary: Bill Noble BEM A/Secretary: Paul Kelly Hon. Treasurer: Garry Coleman Welfare Officer: Bobby Horn Pensions Officers: Peter Keane J.P. : Ron Savage J.P. Roger Priest Webmaster: John Drew KEEPING IN TOUCH EDITORIAL STAFF Ron Mitcherson : Bill Noble BEM : Paul Kelly 4 5 Page 5 DIVE MEDICS DELVE DEEPER ON EXCHANGE By Lieutenant Sarah West ~ NAVY NEWS~VOLUME 60 No. 60 ~ 29 JUNE 2017 Two ADF medical Officers with specialist knowledge in underwater medicine had their eyes opened at alternative uses of hyperbaric chambers during Exercise Pacific Partnership. LCDR Douglas Falconer and Lt. Tanille Chapman, of Navy’s Submarine Underwater Medicine Unit-East (SUMU-E) found the information ex- change program with the Vietnam People’s Armed Forces in Vietnam very use- ful. They exchange knowledge about dive-specific medical conditions and treat- ments, the use of hyperbaric chambers to treat other conditions such as chronic wounds, and methods for treating conditions unique to working in a maratime en- viroment. “It has been a meaningful exchange and I will certainly take away some new ideas that the ADF may want to explore in the future on how certain conditions might be treated differently.” Lt. Chapman said. “The Vietnamese doctors use hyperbaric chambers to treat a much broader range of conditions than we do, so it was really interesting to hear about the successes they have had in this area. It certainly provided food for thought with respect to our own applications of this sort of treatment.” She said. The medical officers were invited to tour hyperbaric facilities in the Vietnam Peo- ple’s Navy Hospital Ship Khanh Hoa (HQ561) and at the military hospital at Nha Trang. LCDR said it was a fantastic opportunity. “The ship is a really capable vessel that can treat injuries and illnesses that occur as a result of submersion, as well as a whole raft of other conditions.” he said, “It has two operating thea- tres, an intensive car facility with a high-dependency unit attached to it, two den- tal rooms, a ward, pathology services and an X-ray, all on one deck of the ship.” The Vietnam People’s Navy commissioned six Kilo-class diesel-electric subma- rines in 2013, giving the country a new, powerful modern submarine fleet, so submarine underwater medicine was a key area of interest during the exchange program, Lt. Chapman said. “We have been doing underwater medicine for a long time now, so the Vietnamese officers were interested in hearing what we have learnt and how we have adapted our practices over the years,” she said. “Medicine is one of those things that transends boarders and language barriers because medical conditions do not discriminate. So, opening up dialogue through information exchanges like this is mutually beneficial and really contrib- utes to stronger and more meaningful defence relationships.” Lt.